


Pining for you

by slowroad



Series: A forever love [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Era, Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:48:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26009038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slowroad/pseuds/slowroad
Summary: Merlin and Arthur pining for each other...
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: A forever love [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1887751
Comments: 6
Kudos: 138





	Pining for you

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me. I have only borrowed them for a while.

Merlin walked into Arthur's room and drew open the curtains. He turned to look at the bed. Arthur had burrowed under the blankets until only his hair was visible among the sheets. It made Merlin smile, the sight of that golden mop. 

He went and stood beside the bed and called out the young prince's name. Arthur stirred, but he didn't wake up. Merlin wanted to reach out and run his fingers through Arthur's hair, caress his cheek and kiss him on his princely nose...not that he would ever do any of those things. But he couldn't help thinking them, sometimes.

Why he loved Arthur as well and deeply as he did, he couldn't explain. There was a certain inevitability to it. Two halves of a whole, Kilgharrah had called them. And he certainly felt like that. He needed Arthur in his life. He needed to see him and talk to him every day. He needed to watch over him and keep him safe. He needed these things like he needed to breathe. 

He called out Arthur's name again. This time the prince did wake up. He grumbled a bit, but he opened his eyes. He looked at Merlin and smiled what Merlin had come to think of as his morning smile. Mornings were his favourite time of day. It was the one time when Arthur was relaxed and unguarded. 

"Morning Merlin," he said, smiling affectionately at him. 

"It's time to wake up," Merlin said, trying and failing to keep the bessotted smile off his face. 

"And you can't let me sleep just a little bit more?" Arthur said looking all boyish and innocent. 

Merlin's heart brimmed over with affection for this adorable man. He knew that nothing would ever come of his feelings for Arthur. He knew that he was destined to pine for his prince and future king, for the rest of his life. He understood that. It hurt. It hurt every day and yet somehow, moments like this one made it all worth it. 

"No. I'm afraid not. You have a council meeting in an hour."

"I hate council meetings." 

"I understand why. But your father won't be pleased if you're late. So up you get."

Arthur huffed, looking adorable. 

"Fine," he said as he sat up and the sheets fell off him.

Arthur swung his legs off the bed and stood up, yawning. Then he walked past Merlin, squeezing his shoulder affectionately as he did so. Merlin sighed. Then he shook his head and got on with his day...

...

Arthur woke up to the sound of his name. He opened his eyes and saw Merlin and he couldn't help the happy smile that took over his face. 

"Morning Merlin," he said, feeling a rush of affection. 

"It's time to wake up," Merlin said, smiling indulgently.

That smile was such a lovely sight to wake up to. Arthur wished he could reach up and put a hand on Merlin's face and pull him down for a kiss. But he couldn't. Merlin was his servant. Arthur would never take advantage of him like that, no matter how tempting Merlin was with his beautiful face, his affectionate smiles and his slender frame that belied his quiet strength. 

He liked everything about Merlin. He liked that Merlin was honest and brave enough to speak his mind. Arthur appreciated courage and Merlin had it in spades. Merlin was also a genuinely good person who cared about people and wanted to help them if he could, even a pratty prince like him.

He hadn't known any real affection in his life until Merlin came along and smothered him with it. And now Arthur needed him in his life like he needed to breathe. He could've stayed in bed, looking at Merlin all day, but he knew he shouldn't make it obvious how smitten he was. 

"And you can't let me sleep just a little bit more?" He said trying to look all boyish and innocent.

"No. I'm afraid not. You have a council meeting in an hour."

"I hate council meetings." 

"I understand why. But your father won't be pleased if you're late. So up you get."

Arthur huffed. "Fine," he said as he sat up and the sheets fell off him.

He walked past Merlin, squeezing his shoulder affectionately. He went to the basin and washed his face and cleaned his teeth. He had no idea when he had fallen in love with his manservant. There was no one specific moment. He'd been drawn to Merlin from the start and somewhere along the way, he'd fallen hopelessly in love. 


End file.
